Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-21

''Be quick, Maud," whispered MrA
Estabrook, very distrustful of this eS-
traordinary burglar. The man is either
- criminal or lunatic. Run and turn
the key, child, before he charges his
mind. :"
Thus urged, the girl made another
sortie. Once more the key clicked in the
lock, their prisoner was heard to cross the
floor, and then all was silence afsin.
Not for long, however. Suddenly there
was a confused claIlor at the outside
door, while the bell pcaled loudly through
the house. Maud and her mother sprang
up and faced each other.
''That man back agains' faltered Mrs.
E4stabrook-
suringly. "A burglar would never ring
the bell. Why. it's Tomr' she cried.
with sudden conviction. Its my brother
come home,' she repeated, as voice
from the next room was heard, with re-
newed proffers Of assistance.
Tom it was, indeed. and very anxious
about the safety of the household. As
the brother and sister met in the gray of
the early dawn he hastily explained how,
having called in 20 see Amelia, she had
given him no peace until he promised to
return at once to The WILLOWS; how he
had done so in some vcNation at what he
considered her fussineSs, until everything
had suddenly been driven ont of his mind
by the sight of blood stain on the piazza
At which Maud shuddered. and was about
to relate her version Of the nights ad-
ventures when Mrs. Estabrook's voice
was heard in reprOachful accents from
above. They hastened up stairs, and
found the poor lady inclined to Mysteries
at being left alone. She began an inco-
herent story, in which Peter and the
burglar were jumbled, to Toms utter be
wilderment.
"But who winged the burglar, ther"
he asked. Was it you, Mauds"
"Hush-sh.' breathed his mother, w'Ih
warning finger upraised. Hes in thrre,
you know"
"In there! Why, thought you snld he
was gone, And what ON earth is Peter in
there fors''
NO, no, not Peter, the-the burg
lar
"The burglarr' Tom jumped up. "You
don't mean you've trapped the fellows
Bravo And he was hurrying to the
door, when his sister laid hand on his
arm.
"Oh, wait, Tom.'' she said 'sThat is
the oldest part of it all" And she told
the tale of their strange guest. 1T
doesn't seem like his being burglar, but
don't think he can be in his right
mind" she concluded.
by iove! l should say not! Wanted
TO be locked up again, Why. the man
must be a first class crank. Well, III
have look at him."
He left the room, and the two women
heard the key turn in the lock They held
their breath to listen, but all they could
distinguish in the next room was "a con
fused sound Of voices and laughter
Presently Tom came back, accompanied
by the suppositious burglar
MY mother and sister. Mr.. Folliott."
said Tom, with wave of the hand and a
twinkle of the eye. Mother, this is my
friend Mr.. Folliott, who seems to think
there is some mystery that needs clearing
up"
The real burglar was never found
Therefore Tom Estabrook was unable TO
settle the question if that suspicious
stranger" resembled Mr.. Marston Folliott
in anything beyond the scar. Even that
had nearly disappeared before Mr.. Foliiott
left The Willows, so that when Amelia
first saw her future brother-in-law she
Gravcly remarked that she could not
imagine how mamma and Maud could
have made such singular mistake She
WAS sure she never could. Which, from
tie cause of the whole misunderstanding,
vas certainly rather trying. But then
Amelia was trying sometimes, as people
without sense of humor are apt TO be
kats Putnum Osgood in Harper's Bazaar.